Mainsgill Farm

From the camels – Doris, Delilah and Camelot – grazing in the field to the zip wire and adventure playground there’s a lot to love about Mainsgill Farm. Just off the thunderous A66 overlooking the northern edge of the Yorkshire Dales, it’s a gargantuan farm shop with butchery, food hall, tea room, gift shop and homewares.

Step through the front door and you come face-to-face with a 28-metre deli counter filled with cheeses, cold meats, pies, antipasti and fresh meats. The vegetable aisle has a picture window giving onto those rolling dales, as if to remind you where it all comes from. Most of the goods on offer have their roots (and hooves) in the Mainsgill family’s 500-acre farm; the rest is carefully selected from British and continental suppliers.

The café prides itself on freshly baked cakes, meringues, country breakfasts and award-winning soups. The menu is simple and comforting, the service friendly. A fabulous place to break a journey.